The Parisian air, usually thick with the romantic scent of roses and freshly baked bread, felt stifling tonight. Elara stood on her balcony overlooking the Seine, the shimmering lights reflecting in the river like scattered diamonds. She had deliberately chosen this apartment – a haven of elegant simplicity amidst the opulent grandeur of the city. It was a symbol of her rebirth, a stark contrast to the suffocating gilded cage Cassian had once confined her to.